An attribute of modern flat-panel electronic displays that makes them highly desirable to consumers is the aesthetic appeal of a very flat device that has the appearance of a framed photo or painting when hung from a wall. This same attribute is also desirable in that floor and interior space taken up under the display is minimal.
Mounting devices have been developed for flat-panel electronic displays that enable the display to be mounted very close to the wall. These prior mounting devices, however, have drawbacks.
One drawback of prior low-profile mounting devices is that they generally do not enable access to the rear of the display for the connection of cables and wires once the display is in place on the mount. Instead, the installer must wrestle with a sometimes heavy and awkward display device to connect the wires before mounting on the wall. Further, the wires may then interfere with attachment to the wall once connected.
Another drawback to prior low-profile display mounts is that they often do not provide secure attachment to the wall so as to prevent inadvertent detachment of the display. In one such prior mount, a simple hook arrangement is used at the top of the device, with a strip of hook- and loop material below to hold the device in place. If the bottom of the display is pulled away from the wall slightly, the hook-and-loop material disengages and enables disengagement of the top hook, leading to the display falling onto the floor.
A further drawback of many prior low-profile display mounting devices is that they are awkward and difficult to manipulate. An installer attempting to mount the display device may have to lift a heavy or large size display into an awkward position in order to attach the device to a wall mount, or may have to manipulate complicated catches or latching devices while simultaneously lifting.
Another drawback of previous low profile mounts is that they represent a compromise between closeness of the display to the wall surface and the range of tilting motion available for the display. If the mount has a very low profile, the tilt range of the mount is limited because the edge of the display contacts the wall when tilting. If the mount is made thicker to accommodate the tilt motion of the display, the desirable aesthetic of a display mounted close to the wall surface is lost.
Accordingly, what is still needed in the industry is a low-profile electronic display mounting device that overcomes these drawbacks.